Monster Hunter: The Hunted
by AvaEverything
Summary: Leahway Lagia is a 17 year-old aspiring huntress. She is said to be "a wyvern princess" and will be sent out when she turns 18 to become the next savior. While exploring the newly-flourished Moga Woods, she falls in love with a mysterious creature; a boy named Sel, half human and half Rathalos, a dragon known as "the king of the sky." Will she choose to give up her future for him?
1. Chapter 1

**Monster Hunter: The Hunted**

Chapter 1

The swords lay gently on the silk pillow. They stand on a diamond-encrusted pedestal, shining in the light coming through the window. I tremble at being in the mere presence of such a beautifully crafted set of dual swords. Their silver handles are engraved with blue wave patterns and crystals, while the sword itself has glowing diamond blue outlines of fire. The tip is sharpened just perfectly so that it will slice through the skin or scales of anything. A masterpiece resting softly in the light yearning to be held by a capable hunter.

My fingers shake as I stare at its handle. It's just begging to be used. And if anyone in this village can use it, it would be me. I slowly begin to reach for it.

"Admiring, Leahway?"

A voice from behind catches me attention as I spin around. The Chief has an amused look on his face as he walks towards me. I smile a little.

"Heh, I guess you could say that…" I say. The Chief stokes the silk that the swords rest on.

"They are a beauty, aren't they? Crafted from the rarest Lagiacrus materials long ago. I'm happy that we salvaged them when this village was starting, or else they would have been destroyed during the war. I doubt even Allora could have saved them," he says. I nod as I look into the deep blue of the swords. The region that we live in has a rough past. Long ago, near the shore of the river, a small fishing village named Moga Village stood quietly. It had always been a peaceful area, with the nearby Moga Woods flourishing with commodities and resources and monsters living in peace. Yet, it was threatened multiple times by monsters of inconceivable power and size. The only savoir that the village had was a young female named Allora. She was a beautiful and strong huntress yielding perfectly crafted swords and shields and armor from the strongest monsters. She took down every monster no matter its strength to save her home in Moga Village. Yet, it couldn't be helped when the war started. Everything was destroyed, even the nearby city of Loc Lac. Fighting with her few remaining companions, she led in a hunters revolution and helped win the war. She remains a legendary hunter in these parts. Since then, Moga Woods has flourished with life once again and the city is being rebuilt under a different name. Our village is the new Moga Village, and according to what The Chief tells me, I am the new savior.

While I am an extraordinary hunter, I don't believe I could ever do what Allora did. Besides, I'm only seventeen. In order to become an official huntress working for the guild, you have to be eighteen. Sometimes I go into the city and help people with their daily guild work, but I'm not allowed to officially quest. It's a bit disappointing. I've taken down Rathians and Royal Ludroths in Moga Woods before. I can handle just about anything. Even a Lagiacrus doesn't intimidate me much. The Chief says it's because it's the monster I was born to. After the war, a tradition started where, when you are born, you are born to a monster. Mine is the Lagiacrus, so my full name is Leahway Lagia. Water is my strongest element and most of my clothing is blue. Everyone in the village calls me a "wyvern princess".

But no matter what they say, I know I will never be a true wyvern princess like Allora was.

"Until I give myself the permission to let someone else use these, you should see the blacksmith about getting better dual swords. I'm sure he'll recommend a good weapon path for you," The Chief assures me.

"Well, I don't have a lot of resources right now..." I admit. "Can you tell me what's gonna be out there?"

The Chief pulls out his small notebook monster forecast diary. "From what I can see I heard of a Rathian or Lagiacrus tomorrow. Right now it's Jaggi breeding time."

Hmmm. I can kill the Lagi tomorrow and prepare a hiding spot for the possibility of a Rathian. Even when the forecast doesn't call for it, attacking a Rathian can attract a Rathalos. And because of all of the new life, they tend to stick around.

"Ok, thank you Chief," I respond flashing a smile. The Chief smiles back and pats my shoulder.

"Thank you, Leahway."


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Well hey there! This is my first fanfic I've posted online so reviews and comments are much appreciated! Just a few things, this fanfic is pretty much based off of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (coming out for the WiiU and 3DS March 2013 :D) I'm using aspects from Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Monster Hunter 3 to try to shape this into being as accurate as possible while still matching my image of it. If you play any MH games and want to make a suggestion for something I can put in this, leave it in a comment or in a review and I'll see what I can do in the coming updates. Don't worry, the next chapters are gonna be a lot more interesting with a very adorable new character ;3 Thank you so much for reading!**

Chapter 2

I jump down onto the cold planks of the village. My dark brown hair flows in the gentle breeze as I grab a whetstone out of my pouch and sharpen my dual swords. I have a pretty basic weapon; the Order Rapier elementless set of swords with just enough sharpness to be able to slice up a few Jaggi easily. Everyone turns their attention to me, smiling at my presense. One of the village children runs up to me.

"Leahway, are you going out hunting?" he says in an excited voice. I smile down at him.

"Of course I am. I need to keep you guys safe, don't I?" I respond, patting his head. He laughs as well.

"Hehe, yeah. The Chief said that you're gonna be a princess and save us all real soon!"

I can't help but laugh a little as I reach into my pouch and pull out a freshly-cooked steak. "Well I don't know about princess, but I'll try my hardest to save you guys," I hand him the steak. "Hey, share this with your family. It's a gift from me."

The boy smiles wide and takes the steak. "Thank you, Leahway! Good hunting out there!" he calls as he runs off. I put my whetstones away and continue to walk towards the blacksmiths. The woman that recieve quest updates from the guild notice me and wave. "Hiiiii Leahway! Don't get caught up out there, ok?" they giggle with their high-pitched voices. I smile back at them. "I'll try, keep working hard!"

I continue on through the village, greeting everyone I come across. I know everyone in the village by heart and they respect me just as much as The Chief. All of the children growing up here always say how they want to be like me when they grow up. I always tell them the same thing. "I got my passion for this from hearing about a hunter before me. You should do the same."

I walk up the shag-rug stairs towards the blacksmiths. I notice one of my friends, Nocard, at the shop nearby with her little brothers and her trainer. She's training to be a professional combiner so she can work with hunters in the guild by helping them with combinations. She sees me and waves.

"Leahway!" she calls. I wave back.

She runs up next to me. "Going out for a hunt?" I nod. "Yep. First I gotta get this weapon fixed up, haha. Getting a Rathian tomorrow."

"Damn. Good luck out there, girl. If you can snag me a few Rathian carves," she says as she puts her black hair up in a bun.

"Why, so you can sell them since you're broke?" I laugh. Nocard glares at me.

"I spend too much zenny, can you blame me?! Gotta make those combinations!"

"Haha, sure. I'm still holding you to being my personal combiner when I become an official hunter, by the way," I note.

"Of course. But I expect payment!" I roll my eyes.

"Can I pay you in carves?" I joke. She laughs and starts to walk away to grab her brothers.

"Heh, if it's a Bird Wyvern gem, sure!"

I laugh as she walks away. I unsheath my sword as I approach the blacksmith. The small Wyverian looks up and smiles at me.

"Leahway, dear! How's the hunting going?" he calls.

"Pretty good. Got some big ones running out there lately," I respond. "I was wondering if you can work on this sword."

The blacksmith takes my sword in his tiny hands and examines it. "This is the Order Rapier, correct?" he asks. I nod.

"Well I can give it a Water element if you want. Helps increase damage. Especially with how you use it," he suggests. My eyes widen.

"Are you serious? That would be amazing!" I exclaim with happiness. "How much would it take?"

The Blacksmith thinks as he runs his claws over the swords. "Given its current state, I would say lightcrystals, dragonite ore, and some Hercudromes"

I stare at him blankly. "Um...I don't...know what any of those are...or where to get them..." I admit. "Than find out, dear! No materials, no sword," the blacksmith tells me. I sigh. "Yep...thanks anyway." I take my swords back and start walking out of the village.

During the war, Moga Woods was a battlefield. Therefore, most of the life was sapped from it and a lot of the monsters were killed. It took nearly fifty years for life to be restored. Monsters started to reappear and the woods exploded with resources and commmodities. Lately it's been a hunters paradise as well as a monsters. I take in a deep breath. The cool air smells of pine trees and newly blossoming flowers. I lean down and pick a handful of herbs. I gently bring them to my lips and breath in their fresh scent. Blissfully smiling, I pour them into my mouth and swallow. The special minerals inside of the herbs can heal any hunter just enough to give them the strength to run away and get a potion down. As I continue to pick herbs, I watch the Kelbi lounge in the grass around me. I smile as I stare out into the distant river like they are. I glance at one of them, and slowly approach it.

I gently pet it's warm pelt and hold out a handful of herbs. The Kelbi sniffs as it slowly eats the herbs in my hand. I continue to pet it and happily sigh.

Yep. This is my Heaven.

But I can't help but notice a strange set of large wings flying around in the distance.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The forecast is usually never wrong. We shouldn't have anything big excluding at Great Jaggi or two today. Tomorrow we get a Lagiacrus or a Rathian. And usually Rathians enter this area only when necessary or when it's male counterpart is around.

So what's out there?

I keep my eyes fixated on the large wings. They are not too far away; probably just above the river area near the Jaggi cave. I begin to walk into the different areas of Moga. I never stop staring at the wings. A pack of Aptanoth are wandering around like everything is usual. As I unsheath my swords and begin to slash at them, I notice that there are no Jaggi in this area. Usually Jaggi are all around during breeding time. Why are there none all of a sudden? As two Aptanoth fall dead to the ground, the remaining one lets out a sudden cry and begins to run. I look up and notice that the wings are somewhat closer now. They are gliding around in the next area. I squint my eyes and try to make out its body.

But there is nothing but a speck. No tail, no legs, nothing but large black and red wings with something small holding them together. I quickly carve off some pieces of meat from the dead Aptanoth and look into the bright blue sky.

The wings have disappeared.

"What the...?" I wonder. "Where the hell did they go?!"

Putting my carving knife away, I walk in the ankle deep water into the next area. There are Jaggi running around, but not as many as usual. Where did they all go? And where did the wings go? I search the sky for something, but they are gone. A Jaggi nips at my leg, bringing me out of my trance. I glare at it as I remember the main reason why I came out there. Slowly taking out my swords, I whisper.

"Don't even try."

I begin to slash at the Jaggis. They don't a chance as I charge at them and swing with all of my might. Scales fly off of their lifeless bodies and their pelts peel off with every gash I make. More Jaggi start to emerge from their cave. I start to kick them away while I sharpen my weapons. Two of them lunge towards me and smack me with their tails and bite me in the stomach. I grunt and kick one of their heads into the ground as I spin around and slash the other one right through the throat. They all meet their demise with each one that runs out of the safety of their cave. I salvage as many carves as I can manage to hold on to. After a while I am out of breath and no more Jaggi are coming out of the cave.

I wipe the sweat off of my head and swallow another handful of herbs. I glance around as I do, trying to find anything else that would be hostile. I don't see anything, but I notice a tree swinging around. I try to ignore it as I organize my bag, but the branches continue to shake. Something is in it. Keeping my swords out, I slowly walk through the water and towards the tree.

Before I can reach it, something jumps out of it right in front of it. I gasp and hold my swords in a defensive position before I realize what is in front of me. When it looks up, my breath hitches. In front of me is a boy. He has fluffy olive green hair and bright blue eyes staring right into mine. His face looks young, but he has obvious muscles and mature-looking physic. He is wearing a torn up dark red shirt and black leggings. He doesn't have any weapon besides a knife strapped to his waist. No armor, either. So he's definitely not a hunter. How did he even get here?

"Where did you come from...?" I say quietly, staying completely still. The boy continues to look into my eyes. All of a sudden, he smiles.

"I can see you're a hunter," he chuckles. I don't respond and just continue to stare at him.

"I said...where did you come from?" I growl. The boy laughs again. His laugh is beautiful and his smile is brighter than the sun shining down on us. I slowly put down the swords as I study this handsome creature in front of me.

"Thank you," he says as he stands up. "To answer your question, I don't exactly know." I cock my head. What does he mean? Suddenly he bows in front of me.

"I'm guessing you're the hunter that protects that village over there, aren't you? It's an honor to meet someone of your power," he whispers.

My heart skips a beat as he takes my hand and brings it up to his lips. He looks up at me again.

"I watched you fight those Jaggi. You're one of the most talented hunters I've ever seen," he says as his hair drifts in the breeze. "And one of the most beautiful."

I begin to blush as I bring my hand away. It feels hotter than usual, but I try to ignore it. " Umm...thank you..." I mutter. "But why are you out here? It's dangerous to be walking around without a decent weapon..."

The boy laughs again. "I'm not much of a hunter," he says sheepishly. "But I definitely know how to defend myself out here." I slowly nod and bite my lip. What should I do with him? Should I take him back to the village? Leave him out here? I glance around for any nearby monsters. Then I take his wrist.

"Follow me," I command as I begin to walk. The boy smiles again.

"Heh...calm down. I'm fine," he laughs. I look back at him, amazed by the way he looks in the glowing sunlight. Ugh, stop it Leahway. You don't even know this guy.

But I can't help but smile as I roll my eyes and drag him with me.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Just something I think I should mention. This story is kinda the follow up to a story I'll start writing when I finish with this one. That story (or stories since it will probably be a series) will be the prequel to this one. It will follow Allora, my character from Monster Hunter 3. It will include the main story of that game (the offline mode) as well as my experience with the online play. The online story will include all of the friends I've made on that game and will be my documentation of my life on that game told from Allora's perspective. After that, I will also write another book in the series for the "war." I came up with the idea of monsters being controlled by humans to destory the land and be used for evil. This story will follow all of the previous ones and will include Allora and the friends that are still playing the game today through the war. That will be the last of the stories about Allora, so chronologically speaking, Leahway's story follows. I will NOT be making a series for Leahway's story, this will be the only fanfiction I make for this game UNLESS I run into good ideas when I begin to play Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. SOOOO that's that. Leave any suggestions for how I can make this better, and thanks A LOT for reading! :)**

I take the boy to the camp. The camp is the only completely safe area in any monster/quest territory. Since I don't know whether this guy can hold his own, it never hurts to be safe. As we enter the area, I hear his voice from behind.

"Do you not trust me out there?" he mutters. I look back at him and begin to say something but stop. Just looking into his piercing blue eyes sends a shiver up my spine and my heart to skip a beat. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this...

I shake the reconsideration out of my head and speak. "It's not that I don't trust you, I just want to make sure you're safe," I explain. He stares at me for a second, then smiles.

"I'm pretty damn sure I'm safe. Especially with a hunter like you here," he says. I begin to blush as I let go of his wrist and point at the bed inside of a tent. "Wait there." He obeys, sitting on the bed as I pull out my portable barbecue spit and place a piece of raw meat over the fire.

"So what's your name?" I call as I cook the meat. I notice the boy run a hand through his hair out of the corner of my eye. I nearly burn the meat at the beautiful sight.

"I'm Sel," he says. "You?" I pull the well-done steak off of the spit and stand up, throwing him the steak. "Leahway."

Sel grabs the steak and smiles again. "You think I need food? Wow, you really don't trust me." I glare at him as I place another piece of raw meat on the spit. As I focus on cooking it, he continues to speak. "So why are you out there?"

"I should be asking you that question," I respond. "I'm a hunter, I nearly live out here."

"True, but there's not much out there today," Sel mutters. Taking the steak off of the spit, I look over at him.

"How did you know that...?" I question suspiciously. Sel shrugs his shoulders. "Instinct?" I roll my eyes as I sit next to him on the bed and take a bite of the steak. He does the same.

"Do you know where the city port is?" I ask.

"I know where it is but I don't go there much," he responds as he eats his steak.

"Well, until I can find you a good place to stay, I'm gonna leave you over there. You're a boat ride away from the woods so it's fairly close." Sel nods slowly. "And I'm guessing you live in that little village down near the port?" he asks.

"Yeah," I mumble. "So I guess you'll still be fairly close..." I keep my eyes down, trying to hide my little bit of excitment. I really want to know this guy. Bring him to the village and show who I am without my hunting armor. Of course, it's stupid to think about it. The Chief might not be a fan of me bringing a random boy found in Moga Woods into the village. I hear Sel laugh a little.

"Heh, so I guess you're the main protector of that village?" he asks. I take a bite of my steak and nod.

"Yeah, I guess you could say it like that..."

"Wow. Must be tough protecting all of those families. There's a lot of dangerous monsters out there, so it must be a bit of a chore to keep them all away and keep all of those people safe." he says. Suddenly, I smile a little.

"I don't really consider it a chore at all. It's a profession. Being a monster hunter, I mean. It's a way of life in these parts. When you live in a place like my village, you want to protect the people as well as yourself," I explain. "And you have to love it as well. I love hunting more than anyone I've heard of...well, except for the old savior of this land." Sel cocks his head. "Old savior?"

I sigh. "Long before we were here, a huntress named Allora protected that same village. And the old city of Loc Lac for that matter. She was the strongest and most passionate hunter you could ever imagine...she was the lead commander of the Hunter's Revolution when the war was going on. I wish I could have met here, even just once. She's the hunter I always look up to to help me protect everyone." I can't help but chuckle a little. "The Chief of the village always says that I'm going to be a "wyvern princess" like Allora. I have a hard time believing that, but-" Suddenly, Sel cuts me off.

"Why would you ever think that?" he asks seriously. "I barely know you, but I watched you kill those Jaggi's, and I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful and powerful hunter."

My breath escapes me. I begin to blush as I look down at the bone of my steak. He's right, he barely knows me. But if he truely believes that, that means something.

I feel rude not responding, so I speak. "T-thank you...so much. It...really means a lot to me to hear that." I look up into the sky and smile. "Here, let's get you to the port," I say as I stand up and extend my hand towards him. Sel stares at me for a second and smiles again. He takes my hand.

"Whatever you say, wyvern princess."

* * *

Sel and I exit Moga Woods and I walk him down the hills towards the Tanjia Port. As we arrive, I look up and notice that the sun is beginning to go down. The Chief must be a little worried since I've been out for so long. I ponder about whether or not I should tell him about Sel. How would he react to me talking to a random boy found in the woods? Was it even the right thing to do?

"Hey um..." Sel's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I look over at him running a hand through his hair. "Thanks for doing this," he says. "I might see you around later?"

"Of course. And you're very welcome," I respond, bowing my head at him. He lightly touches my arm.

"Stay safe out there, ok?" he whispers. I feel like passing out at his touch. I nod and smile. He smiles back and walks off towards to main tavern in the port. I run back towards the village, still smiling like crazy. He's cute. So, so cute. And while he's a bit full of himself, he's definitely nice enough to make me want to talk to him over and over again. As I enter the village, I act natural as people welcome me back. The Chief is on his pedestal as usual. He glances behind his shoulder and greets me.

"You were out there for a while. How was the hunt?" he asks. "Successful, I assume?"

I look up at him. "Yeah," I laugh. "I'm gonna rest a little." The Chief studies my expression, but nods. I walk into my house and strip off the heavier parts of my armor. I sit on my bed and smile to myself.

No matter what I try to tell myself, I can't help it. I've fallen for Sel.

I glance down at my hand and scrunch my eyebrows. I examine a small burn mark that wasn't there when I left.

"Wonder where that came from..." I wonder.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Ok, so I know it's been waaaay too long since I updated, and I apologize. Real life stuff keeps getting in the way of writing. I'll try to update again as soon as I can as long as my schedule allows it. Now I have a bit of sad news for all of the people that still go on the Monster Hunter 3 servers. On April 30 (about 6 weeks after the release of MH3U) the servers will be shut down. Since the MH3U servers will be taking their place, it will still be painful to say goodbye to something I have spent so much of my time on. I've net absolutly INCREDIBLE people through those servers, and we are all staying in touch. Hopefully some of us will be able to get a Wii-U and we can all continue to hunt together IN HIGH DEFINITION! XD. But really, if anyone is looking to hunt with me on weekends, you'd best do it soon since we only have a few months left. I'll keep you guys updated on the situation, and thank you so much for reading :)**

I wear my strongest armor and check my item pouch to make sure I have everything. The blacksmith gave me a fire elemented set of dual swords to borrow for fighting the Lagiacrus. The Gradios Ultimus set of swords isn't my favorite, but it'll do just fine against a Lagi. I know this things attack patterns perfectly so it shouldn't be too difficult. But as the Chief always tells me, "I'm not a registered hunter yet so you can never be too careful."

If only this was a quest. I could actually get paid for the hunts. Get rewards for capturing. Unfortunately I desperately need all of those things if I want any chance at getting a better armor set and more sets of swords. For now I have to work with what I have. I walk out of my house and take in warm breeze around me. It feels like a dream, almost. Just like yesterday. I barely slept last night (probably not good for a hunter.) I couldn't get the thoughts of Sel out of my head. His cute smile and his slightly condescending attitude makes me smile to myself. I wonder if he made it somewhere safe. I try not to get too distracted by the thought of him, but I can't really help it. If I can get this fight I'll be fine.

I quickly walk to Nocard's place. I pull back the black and pink curtains and walk in. She appears a moment later.

"Hey girl," she greets smiling. "Big hunt?"

"Eh, just a Lagi. Not a big deal," I reply. Nocard laughs and rolls her eyes. "To you, missy. You're the one who's taken down like seven of them."

I laugh as well. "Hey now, I'm not getting much besides carves here. But anyway, I need your opinion on something."

"Whatcha need?"

"Do you think the Chief would be ok with a stranger being shown around the village?" I ask. She glances at me as she plays with her hair. "I don't know. What do you mean?"

"Like, me bringing someone new into the village. Just to show them around." Nocard shrugs. "Meh, if it's you he'll probably trust you. Why?"

I look down. "Mmm, no real reason," I mutter. "I'd better get out there. I'll send you whatever can be combined, 'kay?" Nocard stares at me for a second, then nods.

"Be safe out there, girl," she says. I smile. "I always am." As I exit the house, I run my hand through my hair and consider what she said. I guess it's true that Chief trusts me. Hell, most people in this village trust me with their life. It would still be strange to see an unfamiliar face around here. I glance up at the Chief as I walk towards the village exit. I can't help but wonder what he would think. I try to forget about it as I walk off of the dock and towards Moga Woods.

Walking through the fields of Aptanoth and Kelbi, I look up at the sky. I can't help but wonder what those wings were yesterday. They were too large to be an exotic bird. I must be seeing things. I quickly unsheathe my sword and slash a Kelbi. It lets out a small cry and falls to the ground. Taking out my knife and carefully slicing off its hide, I avert my mind to where the Lagiacrus could be. It's rare of them to leave the water, but in this weather it might be lounging out near the Jaggi nest. Right around where I found Sel yesterday. If I can ease it onto land, the fight will be even easier. After all, dual swords aren't exactly the best in water. I peel a few warm pelts off of the Kelbi as the others flee. No matter what I am to the others in the village, I'm still poor and need the resources and money. Safety comes first, but comfortable living is a close second.

The thought of is suddenly interrupted. I gasp slightly as I listen to the ambience around me. There's something flying in the distance. The sound of large wings carries throughout the mountains. I search the sky frantically, trying to find where the noise is coming from. Trying to ignore the sound, I stuff the pelts in my pouch and run towards the next areas.

Glancing behind a large boulder, I spot it. Just to my predictions, the Lagiacrus is resting in the ankle-deep water near the Jaggi hole. It's exquisite blue scales and glowing horns shimmer in the light. I can see the small thunder bolts inside of it's mouth, as well as a small bolt of lightening shining on the white crystals on it's back. I jump as it suddenly spins around and roars at a group of Jaggi that have gathered near it. As it roars, a ball of lightening suddenly escapes it's mouth and electrocutes the ground beneath the Jaggi. The group flies through the air and falls to the ground lifeless and shocked. Taking my swords in my hands, I lock my eyes on the target and sprint towards it. The Lagiacrus turns to me as I leap forward and slash at it's chest. It lets out a growl and slinks backwards. I roll to the side as it starts launching balls of lightening toward me. As I begin to tear at it's claws, it turns to the side and tries to slam into me. I quickly leap backwards and sink my sword into it's sides. It lets out a loud roar and knocks me to the ground with it's claw.

Before I have the chance to regain my bearings, I feel a sudden weight on top of me. Something digs into the skin of my back, nearly piercing my armor. I scream at the pain and attempt to look behind me at what it is. Before I can, I am pinned to the ground by large olive-green claws. As I open my eyes again, I can only glance at what is on me. The bright green eyes of a Rathian are staring at my body as it reaches down and gnaws at my arms and neck. The teeth sink into the skin that's exposed. I shriek and try to reach for my swords. I can't get to them, or even my important items. Is this how I'm going to die ? Pinned down by an extremely hostile Rathian? Why is a Rathian even out here today? They don't usually come out to these parts unless a Rathalos counterpart has been out recently. And why is it coming after me with a Lagiacrus around?

As it continues pierce into my skin, my hunter instincts take over. While I've never had to use them before as my hunting environments are almost stable, I keep a couple of dung bombs in my pouch. They are in the one spot in my pouch that I can reach despite being pinned down. My vision begins to blur as I quickly reach down and grab on. Praying that it works, I close my eyes and throw it in the face of the Rathian. Just as I had hoped, it lets out a small roar as it falls off of me. As soon as it does, I stand up and sprint towards the area near the beach. I don't attempt to look back as my legs are giving out. As soon as I make it to a safer area, I clutch onto a group of rocks and fall to the ground. My breathing is heavy and my skin is stained with blood. My armor is quite torn up, even for just a Rathian. I can't begin to imagine where that Rathian came from or why it attacked with a Lagiacrus right near it. Thankfully it's habitat goes no further than the last area. I would probably be dead if it was able to come in here.

Although the Rathian can't come in here, I notice the Lagiacrus making his way through the fog and towards me. I reach into my pouch and swallow a potion. There's nothing I can do about the gashes on my body out here, but I can still keep myself alive. Especially not right now. I slowly stand up as the Lagi notices me. It rushes towards me and I unsheathe my swords. My pulse burning with adrenaline, I take in a careful breath and dash in it's path.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Authors Note: It's been a long time again. I'm sorry for that since I know a lot of you have been waiting for this to be updated. But the new game came out and I've been playing it a lot. I've also been sketching out a new Monster Hunter that I MIGHT put into a new story after this one and all of the ones about Allora are written. I'm looking at this one being about 18 chapters or more. I don't know the specifics yet, but trust me, when it all comes out, it'll be a fantastic read. I promise guys :). Anyway, yeah, so here's Chapter 6. Thank you so much for reading. ^_^**

My body aches as I slash and dodge the Lagi's attacks. Usually they don't give me trouble, but my mind is in different place now. I'm distracted.

Where did that Rathian come from?

Is the viilage going to be ok?

Is Sel ok?

I let out a cry as the Lagi body slams into me. I fall to the ground and gasp for air. Barely maintaining a grip on my swords, I slash upwards at it's chest. I smirk as I watch hundreds of scales fly off of it's chest and leave it unprotected. The Lagi roars in pain and I roll away from it. Just with enough time to take a Mega Poition, I spin around and slash at it before it can tear at my back.

The fight lasts for about ten minutes before it limps for the water. I run after it and breathe in the scent of the cool water on the gravel beach. The Lagi roars and towards to shore.

"It's so weak...lets finish this off," I think.

As the Lagi majestically jumps into the water, I jump with it and swing both swords.

I hear a cry as the water calms. The Lagi's lifeless body floats daintly in the water. I smile and carve whatever I can with my knife. Not a bad fight, considering the conditions. Everything aches and my potion supply has fallen greatly. I take a deep breath and softly stroke the gashes on my arms, wincing at the pain. Walking back to the village, I use the leaves and herbs to protect the wounds from getting any worse. I ignore all other monsters and run for the entrance to the village before the Rathian catches my scent.

As I enter, everyone turns to me with concerened eyes. I smile and take out the hides and scales I carved. The Chief laughs and everyone cheers. Nocard runs out of her house and hugs me.

"Damn, that was fast!" she laughs. "What happened?"

I sigh and laugh as well. "I'll tell you about it later."

The Chief jumps off of his pedestal and shakes my hand.

"Well, that's one less Lagiacrus to deal with. Thank you, Leahway," he praises. Then he notices some of the marks on my armor. "Oh my, that looks like a beating. Are you ok?"

I glance at my wounds. They are quite bad, but I've seen worse. I wave a hand. "Oh, I'll be fine, haha."

The Chief smiles at me. He suddenly looks behind me at something.

"Well, who is this...?"

I turn around and only catch a glimpse at what he is looking at before it runs away. It had olive-green hair and a huge cut on the back of it's shirt.

* * *

I rest peacefully for two days while my wounds heal. The Chief tells me that there have been no big monsters out in Moga after I got back. He thinks that something scared them off, but I can't think of what. All monsters that reside in Moga aren't hostile towards each other unless provoked. Why would one monster scare away any of the others? And what monster could have even do that?

More importantly, why was Sel at the village?

I arise from my bed and throw on my leather armor. Since I haven't been out for a few days, there are plenty of things I can find out there. I sigh as I slide my dual swords onto my belt and step outside. It's early, so only a few villagers are out. I quietly run out of the village and up the hill leading to wildlife. I look up at the rising sun on the river way below the cliff. The breeze blows my hair back as Aptanoth arise from their sleep on the ledges and mountains around. I slowly walk around the woodlands with a feeling of peace. Without any large monsters, this deserted island is one of the most beautiful places in the land. The blue skies are free of w flying wyverns and the fields are occupied by Kelbi and Altaroth. I slowly lie down in the grass near the waterfall and stare into the sky.

This must be what Heaven feels like.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep there."

A familiar voice startles me as I look up at a ledge at the top of the waterfall. I see a set of piercing blue eyes looking down at me. My heart skips a beat. How did he get here? I watch him jump down from the ledge without a scratch. I sit up.

"W-when did you get here?" I stutter. Sel smiles.

"I've been out here for a while," he muses.

"What? Sel, it's not safe enough out here to just be walking around. At least not without a weapon..." I exclaim.

"Well, there haven't been any big monsters out here lately," he says as he sits on the ground next to me. "So what's the problem?"

I roll my eyes and don't respond. He has a point, but for someone who's not a hunter, he sure seems used to these parts. Or else he wouldn't be as cocky about being out here.

"Um...I was glad to see that you made it back home safe."

I glance over at him. "How did you know that I was out fighting that day?"

Sel shrugs. "Well, I mean...I knew there was a Rathian the day you went out, so I thought something was up."

"How did you know there was a Rathian?" I ask staring at him. Sel doesn't reply.

I sigh and lie back down in the grass. "Are you doing ok in the port?" I ask.

"Yeah...I don't spend much time in there though.". I turn my head towards him.

"You probably should. Never know what-"

I am cut off by the sight of a gash-like cut on Sel's back. "Oh my gosh, what happened?"

He glances at his back and waves a hand. "Eh, don't worry about that," he says.

I sit up again. "Sel, that's a deep wound going straight down your spine, how can I not be concerned with some-"

I am cut off again by Sel grabbing my wrists and bringing my face closer to his. I catch my breath as I stare into his eyes. "W-what are you..."

"Leahway, please...don't worry about it. Everything had a reason, but that's one you don't need to know," he says in a deep voice. He takes my chin with two fingers, turns my head, and whispers in my ear.

"But I took care of them for you...I'm glad you're safe now..."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I hold my breath with Sel's face just inches from mine. What does he mean by "he took care of them?" There's no way he could have killed them. I don't understand how he can be so careless out here and not worry.

"Sel..." I whisper. "Why are you so confident in your abilities? You're not a hunter, you can't possibly be completely safe out here..."

"Never said I was completely safe," he responds. "I just know that nothing is gonna come near you or me. I won't let them."

I blush at his words. I should be the one protecting him like that. I'm the one with the swords anyway.

"Don't worry, Leahway...we'll be fine," Sel assures. He lets go of my wrists and stands up. He extends a hand towards me. "Comeon, lets walk."

I stare up at him with his olive hair flowing in the breeze and his blue eyes shining. I slowly take his hand. He pulls me up with unexpected force and I nearly fall over. He suddenly catches me in his arms.

"Heh...sorry about that," he laughs. I blush even harder and recollect myself. I stare at the ground and nod. Sel laughs again as we start to walk.

"You seem quiet today," he comments as we walk past Aptonoth underneath a rock formation.

"It's been a few days since I've been out here," I say. "I feel more relaxed than anything."

Sel nods. "I am glad that you weren't hurt too much. I was worried that you weren't gonna come back in one piece."

"Is that why you were at the village the evening I returned?" I ask. Sel looks down at the ground.

"I thought you noticed me..." he blushes. "But yeah. I mean, I was concerned. I didn't want you to get hurt, and when I saw that there were more monsters in the area, I knew they were gonna try to hurt you. So I had to make sure that you returned home safely before they did anything else."

I remain silent. Anything else. I guess he knows that the Rathian caused some trouble. But the fact that he followed me back to the village to make sure I was ok...I can't help but be a little happy.

"Well, thank you for that. But don't be reckless. You don't have to sacrifice your safety for me." I say. Sel rolls his eyes.

"How many times to I have to say that I'm fine before you believe me?"

"When I see you use a weapon and defend yourself in the middle of-"

Sel cuts me off. "Trust me, Leahway, I don't need a damn weapon."

"How is that?"

Sel becomes quiet. I begin to feel a bit annoyed.

"Can't you just trust me...?" he whispers. "I trust you..."

I look over at him. "You do?"

Sel runs a hand through his hair. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be out here with you."

I look down at the ground as I wonder what he means. If he's so confident in his ability to survive out here, then he shouldn't need to trust me for anything. Does he think I'm going to hurt or punish him? What reason would I have for that in the first place?

"You confuse me so much sometimes..." I mutter. I climb up onto a ledge where the Rathian nest is. It's currently empty with a few Jaggi and Bhnanbra. The breeze up here is cooler and the ocean on the edge of one cliff flows gently. Sel leans up against the rocks as I get out a pickaxe and mine at an ore deposit.

"I'll tell you what...you're definitely a hard one to please," he laughs. I glare at him.

"I guess I am," I simply respond.

"Then if that's the case..." He suddenly takes my hand and turns me towards him.

"I'll do whatever it takes to please you."

My words catch in my throat as I stare into his eyes. All of my defenses fade away. Only a few words can escape my lips.

"I hope you do."

A breeze blows my hair back as the Jaggi crawl back into their nest. The sun shines off the tip of one of my blades and my armor. I see, what seems like, a very small flame reflecting in Sel's eyes. He takes my hand in both of his.

"Leahway...I have a request..." he begins. I nod.

"There's a very small alcove in the area before the watery ruins. It's right next to the rock formations that create them. I want you to meet me there every day for one month," he explains. "Tell me about you. Tell me your secrets and I'll show you mine. I want you to learn to trust me."

He touches my face with his warm skin. His nails have a red tint to them. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe. Please...just find me there. I'll wait for as long as I need to."

I stare into his eyes and slowly nod.

"Good..." he whispers. "Now jump with me."

Before I realize what's happening, Sel grabs my wrist and runs towards the cliff leading down to the area where the alcove is.

"W-what are you doing?!" I yell. Suddenly, he lifts me off of the ground, into his arms, and leaps off of the cliff.

Usually a fall like this would break someone's legs unless they're wearing protective armor. As we fall, blood rushes to my head. Is he trying to die on impact? I watch as he narrowly scathes the rocks of the cliff. I slowly close my eyes as my feeling of gravity contorts rapidly. The only thing I can hear is the wind in my ears and something tearing through skin before I completely pass out.

I open my eyes halfway two hours later. I feel water rush against my body with my swords at my side. My head is resting on Sel's thigh and my hair is sprawled out on his legs. He looks down at me.

"Are you awake?" he whispers. My eyes shoot open and I sit up, blushing. He laughs.

"Guess so."

I turn to him. "What the hell happened?"

"I think your body got overwhelmed when we jumped off and you passed out. Don't worry, we landed safely," he says. I run a hand through my hair.

"A-are you ok?" I ask. Sel nods.

"Don't worry about me. I had no idea what happened until we landed. I just kept you here with me in the alcove until you woke up."

I remain silent. He survived the fall. How is that possible without armor? And how didn't he get hurt?

I stand up. "Oh...well um..." I stutter. "I should probably get back to the village...don't want them to worry about what happened..." I bend down pick up my swords.

"I guess," Sel says. He walks over to a small ledge in the cave and sits on it. "Well, be careful on your way back."

I smile and nod. "I always try," I laugh. As I walk away, I hear his voice call out.

"Leahway!"

I look behind at him.

"Don't forget about the deal," he calls. I smile and call back.

"I won't."


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note: Just a few of things. I wrote this entire chapter in about an hour and a half when I was sorta tired. If things feel rushed or there seems to be a really weird transition from the last chapter to this one, I apologize. I REALLY wanted to write this one and get it out there cuz this is probably gonna be one of the most interesting ones ;D Now, I'm just gonna say this once...I WILL BE ADDING NO OTHER CHARACTERS INTO THIS STORY. IF YOU WANT ONE OF YOUR CHARACTERS TO BE ONE OF MY FANFICS, IT WILL NOT BE IN THIS ONE. Sorry, but I don't want such in depth characters in this story. I'll find a way to work some into my future stories :) Finally, thank you guys so much for the support I've been getting for this. I know its a little weird to be putting a shoujo-like mix on a Monster Hunter fanfic, but it's what I write best. So thank you guys for liking what I've been working on. Envyways, here's chapter 8. Thank you so much for reading!**

Chapter 8

I keep my promise and start visiting Sel every day. Whenever I see him, he's always sitting on the edge of the ledge in the little cave. He'll turn to me and smile every time. The first few times I see him, I feel a little uneasy. After about a week, I'm running through the fields to see him again. I can't let go of the slight attraction I have for him, especially since the day we made the deal. I playback the scene every day with thoughts of him crowding my mind. He told me that he wanted me to tell him about who I am. My secrets.

If I did, he would tell me his.

So after a few more days, I relax with him. I jump up onto the ledge next to him and lie down. He seems a little surprised at first since I never did anymore than stand near him and stare at the ground. He adjusts as I begin to tell him about myself. I tell him about how I grew up. How much I mean to the village. My inspirations. My dreams of working for the Guild. He smiles and listens to every word. It's a relieving feeling that I have someone to talk to about what's on my mind. It reminds me of Nocard, who would always do the exact same when we were growing up.

Come the last day, I've told Sel everything. We lie down next to each other inside the alcove. The rock formations inside shine with a dark blue and orange tint from the setting sun. Water drips from the roof around my sprawled out hair. Sel's blue eyes seem to be growing heavier, but he keeps them open and looks over at me.

"I'm surprised you stuck to this," he says. I smile as I stare at the sky through a hole in the ceiling.

"I'm happy I did. It was sorta nice. A little therapeutical," I respond.

"Hmm...well I'm happy. It's nice knowing that someone trusts me."

I glance over at him. "Well I mean, you sorta told me to tell you about me."

"Yeah, but you didn't really have to. Hell, you didn't even have to visit me," he shrugs. "I'm still trying to figure out why you chose to stick to it."

I stare at him for a moment, then slowly sit up. He watches me.

"Well...the truth is, I wanted to," I whisper. Sel sits up and runs a hand through his olive locks.

"W-why?" he asks.

"I don't have a lot of people that I can talk to like I can with you. Most people just see me as some sort of future hero, but really, I have emotions like everyone else," I confess. "I'm a hunter, but I'm also human. I'm not much different emotionally. So I'm happy that you want to know about me."

Sel blushes and looks down. "Yeah, I'm the same way. Different circumstances, of course, but I'm still just as human as anyone else."

I become confused. "What do you mean...?" I ask. Sel looks up and into my eyes.

"Leahway..." he whispers. "I'm scared to tell you..."

I bring myself closer to him. "Why, Sel...?"

With his face just inches from mine, he speaks in a hushed tone.

"I don't want to lose you."

My heart trembles the hardest it ever has and my thoughts dissolve. I hear a small growl-sounding noise as small waves of heat wash over my face. Before our lips can make contact, my ears are pierced by a loud outcry. I can barely manage to look from the alcove before an explosion beneath the surface of the ledge catches it on fire. I gasp for air and move back before the monster can catch me in it's claws. The blue eyes of a Rathalos stare me down.

Before I have time to react for myself, I hear another similar roar. From right next to me. I watch as a flame floats out from Sel's mouth and the skin on his back is suddenly ripped. He leaps off of the ledge and towards the Rathalos in the blink of an eye. I stare at the two sets of red and black wings in front of me. His blue eyes glow with fury as another yell escapes his lips. A fireball flys from his mouth and lands directly in the Rathalos' face. The impact creates a bright spark and blood to fly through the air. The explosion knocks the Rathalos back. It's face is charcoal black and it's eyes are tainted. With a quick motion, I watch as Sel leaps into the air with his wings pointed upward and comes back down with one foot lower than the other. He slams his foot into the head of the Rathalos. An explosion of blood and monster parts flies in front of my eyes. Everything drifts in slow motion. Sel lands with blood-stained clothes and a small flame dancing behind his lips. He looks up at me and closes his eyes.

"This is why I was scared," he breathes. I stare at him with emotionless eyes. I very slowly ease myself off of the ledge and walk carefully over to him. He takes my arms suddenly and pulls me closer. I remain silent.

"Leahway...are you sure you want to see...who I really am?"

Never averting my gaze from his eyes, I nod.

Sel sighs and closes his eyes. The sound of skin tearing and a small growl arise. I look up at the sky as a pair of red and black wings unfold with a gust of wind, blowing my hair back. His ears fade to a dark grey along with his wrists. He opens his eyes and stares into mine.

"This is what I really am," he whispers. My sixth sense triggers in my mind at the presence of a monster, but I hold it back.

"Sel..." is all I can manage to say. I choose to say the rest by leaning in and pressing my lips against his. His eyes close as his small claws gently press onto my arm. He sighs with a flame drifting into the air. I feel the intense heat of his lips on mine and a fire growing in the back of this throat. My legs threaten to give out beneath me as he backs away and looks up at the sky.

"I'm so sorry..." Sel chokes. "You're supposed to kill me...I'm a monster after all."

I gently stroke his face. "You're just as much of a human as me..." I whisper. Yet he is correct. Hunters are supposed to investigate any unknown and hunt them if they are at all a danger. But I don't reach for my swords. I focus my eyes on Sel.

"This is why I was scared to tell you...I don't want you to see me as a monster. I...I used my Rathalos form to scare away those monsters last month when you had gotten hurt by the Rathian..." he says. "I wanted to protect you without you finding out. I never wanted anything to hurt you. So I used the only way I know how to keep you safe."

"Is...is this why you always say that you're safe out here...?" I ask quietly. Sel nods.

"The Rathalos is the King Of The Skies. Every monster fears it. If I show a sign of my Ratahlos side when I'm completely human, everything will leave me alone."

I slowly nod. My grip on him hasn't loosened.

"Leahway..." he breathes. "I want to show you something."

Suddenly, Sel wraps his arm around the back of my waist, throws me onto his back in between his wings, and leaps into the air. I gasp and grab at his shoulders for balance. The clouds get closer and the ground gets farther. My hair flows gently in the wind as Sel flies higher. We glide over the Jaggi nest below us. He takes sharp turns through and around the mountains and rocks reaching up to the sky. I've never seen this deserted island from so high up. Flying over sleeping Aptanoth on the mountains, I smile wide.

"This is amazing!" I yell.

Sel glances back at me and laughs. "You sure you're not afraid?" he yells back. I look down at him and bring my lips to his ear.

"If I was afraid, you would be dead by now," I sigh. I laugh as I shake the hair out of my face and carefully rest my head on his shoulder.

While a voice in my head is telling me that this isn't a good thing for me to do, I choose to ignore it yet again.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sel carefully plants his feet onto the branch of a tree. He keeps an arm around my waist as I lean against the trunk and look up at him. His wings are the exact same pattern as those of a normal Rathalos's, and extend from the large cut down his spine.

"How do you hold up those massive wings?" I ask. Sel glances over at me.

"Strength, I guess. Obviously a half-Rathalos person has half the strength of an actual Rathalos. Paired with my human strength, it's easy," he explains. I nod. I feel a small burn in my side from his nails. They are sharp at the tips similar to a Los's claws. He doesn't have a tail, and still looks very human apart from the wings. It explains why I could never notice any difference.

Sel looks up at the sky. "It's getting late. We should get you back to the village."

He picks me up and leaps off of the branch. His wings act as a parachute and make a gentle landing. He puts me down and smiles nervously.

"Are you sure you're ok...?" he asks quietly. I look into his eyes and place a hand on his face.

"It'll be fine...don't worry," I assure. Sel relaxes. His wings carefully retract and only a minuscule flame burns behind his lips.

"I'm glad. I don't want to be any trouble for you," he says as we walk back to the village. "I mean, you're a hunter. You're really supposed to be murdering me right now." I stay quiet, not sure of what to say. If there is any sign of a dangerous monster in the area, my job is supposed to be to hunt it down. It would be even worse if I was an official hunter. What if The Chief found out about this?

I twine my fingers around his and look down at the ground. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." I don't dare look into his eyes. I know that I can't promise something thine that. But right now, I don't want to lose him. Sel's grip on my hand tightens as we walk up the hill to the village. I stare out in the distance at the sunset over the ocean. The leaves flow with perfect rhythm and the ocean's calm waters reflect with an orange glow. Sel leads me up to the drop in the cliff.

"You gonna get somewhere safe for the night?" I sigh. He nods.

"I'll be fine," he whispers. "You stay safe, ok?"

"Yeah...thank you," I say. Suddenly, Sel wraps an arm around my waist and pulls my lips to his. I can still feel the heat of the fire dancing in his throat. He lets go and runs off back into the fields. As I slide down the ledges towards the village, I can't help but smile.

* * *

"Leahway?" The Chief's voice wakes me from another daydream. It's been three days and I haven't been able to stop thinking about Sel. I can't help but worry about what I'm going to do about him. Should I tell someone? Keep it a secret and hope nobody finds out?

"I have a request if you're feeling healthy enough," The Chief says. "We've got some of the Hunting Fleet going out to the Flooded Forest to fish and there's potential for dangerous monsters to be out there. If you don't mind, could you go out there with them and make sure they stay safe?"

I look over towards my box and see my Dual Hatchets resting on it. The blacksmith promised to make my Order Rapiers into Sworn Rapiers with a water element, but I couldn't get the materials. He decided that he would buy my Order Rapiers for an increased amount. I needed the money, but all I'm left with is my barely upgraded Dual Hatchets. My armor is mixed with very strong Jaggi and Arzuros pieces. The equipment could probably handle a simple Flooded Forest monster.

I nod. "If you need me to, sure," I say. "Will there be any pay?"

The Chief rubs his forehead. "Hopefully. The Fleet will probably give you a share of the haul. That is, if we aren't going hungry again."

I sigh. A hunter like me barely has use for fish. Yeah, a Whetfish is a somewhat convenient alternative for a Whetstone, but they're not effective for Dual Sword users when sharpness decreases so quickly. The only thing I can think to do with them is give them to the villagers for food or for Nocard to study more combinations.

"A boat is standing by for when your ready," The Chief tells me. He pulls back the curtains and saunters out of my house. I stand up and stretch, staring at the ocean we float on. The wooden planks beneath me creek and sway gently with the waves. My head hurts a little and my brain feels foggy. I ease on my armor and slip my swords on my back. As soon as I walk out, members of the Hunting Fleet surround me.

"Oh, thank you so much for doing this, Leahway!" they all say anxiously. I smile and nod, trying to ignore the strange feeling in my stomach. I'm worrying about Sel again.

I catch a wave from the Hunting Fleet leader as I walk towards my boat. I wave back to her and silently pray she'll have some money to pay me after this. I grab the flagpole on the boat and swing myself onto it. With all of the sails redirected and the propellers at the bottom set up, I slash the roap holding the boat to the dock and drift away from the village.

I lie down in the boat and stare up in the sky. I feel different than usual. Ever since I started thinking about Sel, I've been worrying myself sick. I cover my forehead with my arm and close my eyes. I need to focus on what I'm going to do out in the forest. The trip doesn't take long, and before I know it, I can feel the humid and rainy climate of the forest washing over me. My body struggles to balance as I sit up. As the boat washes ashore, I stand up and take in a deep breath. Going to the camp is useless since there won't be any supplies. I walk past the camp and into the shallow and murky waters covering the area of the forest. Slagoths eat at the moss floating in the water. I trudge past them to an Altaroth nest. The Flooded Forest very nice climate for Bhnanbra and Altaroth, but also for any water monster. Swimming in these waters can be dangerous, so precaution is always needed when hunting in these unstable environments.

I notice the sails on the Hunting Fleet ships above the trees nearby. I walk closer to them and am greeted by the members. The ones on the boats turn to me and wave.

"Leahway! Glad you made it!" they call. One of the Captain's members jumps off of the ship and pats me on the back.

"We're gonna start fishing, so just keep an eye out for any monsters below us...we don't need these ships broken again," he mutters. I nod.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of 'em," I assure. He smiles.

"Alright, thanks for this." He pulls himself back onto the boat and paddles further into the river along with the other men.

They aimlessly float in the river for an hour, catching whatever fish they can. I close my eyes and try to find my breath in the very humid weather. The rain is slowly wetting my hair and evaporating on my skin. I watch as butterflies and beetles come out of nesting and explore the outside. I extend a finger towards them and watch as a small butterfly lands on my finger. I smile softly as my eyes begin to grow heavier. Part of the Hunting Fleet watches me as I flip my hair out of my face and stroke at the bark of tree. They must think that I'm some sort of princess like everyone else does. In reality, I just feel very comfortable out in hunting grounds like this.

I hear a small noise from the water. I turn my attention away from the surrounding nature, but see nothing. My head is still burning as I begin to feel slightly lightheaded. The men appear to be fine. The butterfly on my finger flies off rapidly. I watch it fly, suddenly vexed by its movements. I can't tell in which direction it's flying with an abnormal perspective. Sweat trickles down my face as I feel the knots in my stomach tighten. I breathe in heavily with an abrupt sense of fear flying through my brain. I lose all focus as I see images playing back in my head.

The first time that I saw Sel's true form. All of the emotions I felt in that single moment, unable to be identified. Is this fear? Confusion? Worry?

The world around me begins to spin as I lean against a tree. My eyes can barely open, but I hear voices. Yells. Calling for my name, or what sounds like my name. Maybe it's for someone else. There are other people here, right?

But the calls are for me. With my legs giving out below me, I can only manage to open my eyes once. All I can see is a fish-like monster's head bobbing out of the water. I see something escape it's mouth for a milisecond.

Then, darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: I'm soooooo sorry for the lack of updates. For a while I really lost inspiration and had no idea where I'm going to do with this story, so I abandoned it. But I've finally finished this chapter and will hopefully be updating more regularly. If only this little thing called depression didn't get to me so often, I might be uploading more. =_=. Bur I've gained a lot of views lately, so I'm happy people are still enjoying my writing. I promise I'll try to work on this more vigorously. Thank you for sticking with me, and thank you so much for reading. :3**

Chapter 10

I feel a light shining in my eyes when I wake up. My head is throbbing and I feel a sharp pain in my chest. Small raindrops fall on my face. I open my eyes and find myself on a boat. I slowly sit up and look around. One of the men from the Hunting Fleet turns around and notices me.

"She's awake boys!" I hear him call out. He puts down his fishing rod and walks over to me. He leans down on one knee. "You feeling ok?" he asks. I rub my head and look up in the sky.

"Yeah...I think so," I say as I rub my eyes. "W-what happened?"

"Plesioth," the man says deeply. "Damn that ice lazer; I've never seen it knock out a hunter in one hit. Then again, I've only encountered a Plesioth a couple of times." I look around at the boats.

"Oh my...is everyone ok? Did they make it out safe?" I ask frantically. The man nods.

"Yeah, Redspear had a few paintballs. Threw one on him and bolted." He stands up and puts his hands on his hips. "We should be safe now, but we were worried sick about you. You were apparently going to pass out even before the thing noticed you. Thank the gods you survived." I agree with him and stand up. My legs are wobbly and my mind is foggy. I nearly fall over as soon as I stand.

"Hey now, be careful. Just rest easy on here so you don't fall in the water. I know we wouldn't, but I don't know if your reward is going to be any lower because of this incident. It's not a real quest, but the fishery chick might not be the happiest," he admits. "But hey, at least it wasn't the hip check!"

I cringe at the thought of it, but nod and lie back down on the wooden dock. "We're almost done, so don't worry," the man says. He picks up his fishing rod and walks back to the opposite dock. I sigh and look out at the river. I'm on the edge of the boat, but I maintain my balance. I graze my fingertips over the surface of the murky water and watch men on the ships fish. Rain is still falling and lands softly on my cheek. It's sad how a strangely peaceful area could be so dangerous. Even a Lagiacrus can occasionally be found here. If only that's what I encountered. I could have taken it down regardless of my health.

About an hour later, the Hunting Fleet lands their boats back on the coast. Two of the men help me up and off of the boat.

"The boat you took here is still there. You know what to do," they say. "Thank you very much for doing this for us."

"Sure, anytime," I laugh. "Thanks for taking care of me. I should be good now."

"Alright, get some rest, Leahway. We'll see you at the village."

I walk through the shallow water back to where my boat is. I jump in and cut the roaps as I had done before and float back to the village. My head is still spinning a little, but I keep my eyes forward. Are they going to tell people that I passed out? The Chief probably wouldn't like to here that, since I already wasn't feeling great when I left.

When I arrive, people greet me as usual ad congratulate me. Yeah, as if I deserve many. The Chief approaches me. "How was it?" he asks. I hesitate slightly, but smile. "Eh, it was fine. I'm exhausted, though," I say nonchalantly. Thankfully, he doesn't question me and lets me leave. Pulling back the curtains to my house, I strip off my damaged armor and fall on my bed. I notice a large light blue spot on my chest. I must have gotten hit pretty hard, and dangerously close to the heart. It's amazing that I survived. I ignore the slight pain and close my eyes.

The hours pass by and the day fades into night. Warmer weather turns to a cool breeze late into the hours. Everyone is probably asleep, but I awake to a sudden noise in my room. I nearly scream at what's in front of me, but my mouth is covered by someone else's. Waves of heat wash over me as I feel a tiny flame behind the lips of the person in my room. I pull back and breathe in heavily.

"You scared the hell out of me, Sel..." I whisper.

He smiles. "Heh, sorry about that," he laughs. I watch his wings retract back into his skin as he brushes the hair out of his eyes.

"You're not supposed to be here at all!" I snap quietly. "What are you doing here?"

Sel looks down. "I was worried," he admits. "I haven't seen you in three days and was wondering why you haven't been hunting in the woods."

I blush. "Well, I've just been working here in the village, I guess. Went to the Flooded Forest today and helped some people," I say as I sit up. A pain from my chest arises and I gasp. My light blue garment glows in the dark, making the spot where I got hit obvious. Sel looks down. "Oh my god, what happened?!"

I lie back down and wave a hand. "O-oh, it'. nothing, really," I lie. "Just a r-random mark." Sel obviously doesn't believe it as he leans down and wraps his arms around me. "Please, Leahway...be careful," he whispers. I bite my lip and nod as I hold him against me. "I'll try. I promise."

* * *

When I wake up, Sel has left. I remember him curling up next to me as I fell asleep, running his fingers through my hair and breathing heavily. I stand up and pull back the sheets of my window. I look out in the distance at the mountains and hills and breath in deeply. The pain in my chest has slightly subsided, but the mark remains. I look down at it and sigh, feeling bad about worrying Sel. I cover the mark with my Loc Lac shawl and skirt and put my swords in the holster as I walk outside. The Chief is lounging on his stand in the middle of the village. When he notices me, he immediately jumps down and walks over to me.

"Leahway, I heard about what happened. Are you ok? Are you in pain?" he asks in a frightened voice. I cough and shake my head.

"Oh...really, it was nothing. I'm feeling a lot better..." I assure. He places a hand on my shoulder. "I hope so, the Plesioth can be one hell of a monster," he says. I smile a little.

"Hey, you go and relax out there today. It'll help you feel better," The Chief says softly. I glance out at the bridge leading to Moga. "Hm, thanks. I'm gonna head out," I say. I walk away from The Chief and towards the hill.

Climbing up the hill, I can see the refreshing landscape of distant mountains and smile. I begin to walk towards the lounging Kelbi in the fields, bending down occasionally to grab whatever herbs I can find. As I reach out to the Kelbi's, I feel a rush of wind behind me and watch them run off in fear. I feel a pair of hands on my waist pull me from behind. Before I can scream, I hear a voice growl in my ear.

"Are you sure you should be out here right now?" it says. I roll my eyes. "Better question is, should you?" I ask. "You shouldn't be this close to the village like this."

Sel shrugs. "I've done it before. All I have to do is climb up the hills over there and make sure my wings are low. And the port is close to the village too."

"Yeah, bur it's still dangerous for both of us to be out here," I say. "People don't know about us, let alone your secret." Sel spins me around and smiles.

"And they're not going to," he laughs. I look down and smile a little. I really should tell someone. A supernatural being like this could be dangerous, but I'm not an official hunter yet. I couldn't possibly do anything to him, even if I was. I sigh and wrap my arms around him, breathing in his scent. "Yeah...I won't let them."


End file.
